5 Old-Time Cures That Can Kill

As RD’s health editor, I’m always on the lookout for clever home cures for everyday aches and pains. So I was shocked to uncover some of the doozies on this Mental Floss list of wildly dangerous home remedies from a book published—by a doctor!—in 1910.

Next time you experience the following symptoms, be thankful for a century’s worth of scientific advances (and, of course, file these under “don’t try this at home”).

Stuffy nose: Spritz it with a spray of a 4 percent cocaine solution, or soak a cotton ball in a stronger solution and place it in the nostril.